Tag: New Years Day

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Artists Worth Checking Out Monday Mashup Women in Entertainment

Monday mashup 2018: vol. 48

Happy New Year’s Eve.  We close out the year at Indie Voice Blog with our final Monday Mashup of 2018, along with the knowledge that we had a banner year.  We started out 2018 with just over 41,000 views and are closing it knocking on the door of 91,000, an increase of almost 50,000 views.  In other words, we had more views in 2018 than in the entire life  of our blog up to that point.  Thank you one and all for your support and your faithful readership.  We have some big changes coming in 2019, so please subscribe to our blog and let’s keep sharing the indie music love.

Enjoy your celebration tonight but be safe.  Many communities are having First Night celebrations, including one here in Missoula, Montana.  It’s going to be a cold one, with temperatures in the single digits, so bundle up and enjoy all the indie music available.

We thought it only fitting to kick off this final 2018 edition with a wonderful video by Colin Devlin that reflects our thoughts.  Here’s “On New Year’s Day.”

NEW SINGLES

Our first single today comes from 2016 LA Music Critic Award winner Alice Wallace, who drops her new album, her first on Rebelle Road Records, on January 19.  We can’t wait to review it.  Here’s a taste of what’s to come with “Santa Ana Wind,” her take on the recent California wildfires.

Next up is a Christmas single from multiple-LA Music Critic Award nominee The Fisherman & The Sea.  Check out “Christmas on a Mountain.”

They also have a new album coming out in January and we can’t wait.  Speaking of their new album, we also give you a sneak peak of the first single, “The Fairytale Waltz.”

https://open.spotify.com/album/0POmYo2PgJQ8j9I7I32cv3

Our third single is perfect for tonight, as Karmic gives us their interpretation of the classic song, “Auld Lang Syne.”

Single number four comes from the amazingly gifted guitarist, Ali Handal, and features the equally amazing vocals of Debby Holiday.  We strongly agree with her sentiments in “Love More.”

Our final single this week is the first one from the forthcoming new album by The Lighthouse.  Enjoy the pop stylings of “Catch Fire.”

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS

Our first video this week comes from the new solo project of the lead singer of a band we introduced to you earlier this month.  The band is called Cheat Codes and the lead singer is Dahl.  Here’s the video for his first single, “Think About Us.”

Next up is the video of Brian Mackey‘s latest single, “Don’t Own Much.”  It features some of the finest cinematography we have seen this year and was shot during his tour of Europe.  Enjoy this one.

Our third video has the hard edge of rockers Crashing Atlas, and is very timely.  Watch how they deal with their own obsessions in “Monster.”

Our next video slows it down with a live performance of up and coming Swedish artist Marlene Oak‘s single, “In the Evening.”  We introduced her to you three weeks ago, and we still can’t get enough of this song.

We close out 2018 with the latest video from LA Music Critic Award nominee Band of Silver.  Check out “El Magnifico.”

Take care tonight.  We’ll be back next year with more great coverage of indie music and theater, and the return of our popular series, Women in Entertainment.

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out Reviews Women in Entertainment

New Years Day, In This Moment, Halestorm at Big Sky Brewing Company – live performance review

Personally, I’ve never been a huge fan of hard core or  metal music.  I can listen to it for its musicianship, but the thought of actually attending a concert was foreign.  That all changed recently when I had to work security for a concert featuring three hard rock/metal bands – New Years Day, In This Moment and Halestorm.

Halestorm did their meet and greet before the gates opened, and lead singer Lzzy Hale and her brother RJ, who plays drums in the band, immediately introduced themselves to me.  After they had finished the meet and greet, we chatted about some mutual friends in the Rival Sons, who had opened for them when the band played the Wilma a few years back.  I also met Jessica, the manager for New Years Day, and we talked about the LA music scene, where the band is from.

For the most part, the crowd was young and well-behaved.  For many of them, this is the closest they come to a religious experience, and after experiencing the energy and magic myself, I can understand why they are such die-hard fans.  As a huge fan myself of female-fronted bands, it was an honor to see three such bands at this show.

New Years Day started the evening off with a riveting 30 minute set featuring those sterling vocals of Ash Costello, and driving guitar of Nikki Misery.  Everyone in the band was simply amazing, and they worked the crowd to a frenzy in preparation for the remainder of the show.  The band’s chemistry was palpable, and Costello was a master at crowd engagement.  Her stage presence was monumental, and she had her fans in the palm of her hand.

The next band to take the stage was In This Moment, fronted by lead vocalist Maria Brinks.  This portion of the show was so much more than just a concert, it was an event.  Brinks is a female version of Alice Cooper, and she and her band put on a theatrical spectacle, including having a pair of dancers that perform alongside Brinks.

This was also the portion of the concert that seemed like a church service, with Brinks serving as the pastor and the entire audience as her congregation.  They were fully into the spectacle, and stayed engaged throughout the 75 minute show.  My favorite moment was the band’s cover of Phil Collins‘ “In the Air Tonight,” and I’ll never look at that song the same again.

What also made this portion of the evening fun was hanging out with JR from Halestorm and guitarist Nikki, his drummer and their tech guy from New Years Day, who stood with me to watch most of In This Moment‘s show.  There were amazingly humble and kind individuals despite their star status, and I was impressed by all four of them.

Finally, it was time for the headliner, and the crowd was up for the pinnacle of the evening.  For only a four-part band, Halestorm puts out a lot of music.  Unlike Costello and Brinks, lead singer Lzzy Hale is also a badass guitarist, and showed her skills throughout their set.

Hale has that Joan Jett look, and plays like she’s a Runaway herself.  Her brother RJ is one hell of a drummer, and performed an impressive drum solo during the show.  The band played a lot of songs from their new album Vicious, including the stirring title track which closed their show.

All in all, it was an incredible night, and left me with a new respect for hard rock and metal music and their fans.  After the show, both In This Moment and New Years Day held their meet and greets.  I covered the latter, and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know their fans and talking further with members of the band.  I look forward to the next time these bands come to Missoula.

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it Reviews Women in Entertainment

Get it or forget it – KT Tunstall, Cosmogyral, Jordan Siwek, Provincial Camps, Hulk Wasabi

Well, we survived Pearl Jam and last night’s rock show which featured New Years Day, In This Moment and Halestorm.  Wach for our review of the show this weekend.  Then I spent this morning taking up the floor from the Pearl Jam concert.  Three crazy days but it was fun work.

Time now for our weekly hump day edition of Get it or Forget it.  Here’s the latest from a familiar face, as well as four new artists.  Let’s get going.

Artist Name:  KT Tunstall

Album Name:  BBC Live Sessions

Label:  Universal Music/EMI

Genre:  Pop

Track Listing:  1.  Black Horse and Cherry Tree; 2.  Tangled up in Blue; 3.  The Prayer; 4.  Suddenly I See; 5.  Fake Plastic Trees, 6.  Other Side of the World; 7.  Get ur Freak On

Publicist:  Right Angle PR

Review:  We were lucky enough to catch KT Tunstall when she opened for Barenaked Ladies at the Big Sky Amphitheater earlier this summer, and have been fans of her music for many years.  This wonderful EP is a compilation of several live performances Tunstall did for the BBC, and captures all the fun and excitement of her live show with a set of some of her biggest hits.

Recommendation:  If you love KT specifically, or great pop music in general, this is a wonderful addition to your collection.  Get it.

Artist Name:  Cosmogyral

Album Name:  Behold

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Metal

Track Listing:  1.  Apostles of Ignorance; 2.  Reap What you Sow; 3.  Agony & Ecstasy; 4.  Path of Ruin; 5.  Last one Standing; 6.  In Chaos Lies Creation; 7.  Final Judgment; 8.  Time/Set This World Alight; 9.  Coming Storm; 10.  Age of Reason; 11.  Honor in Death; 12.  Behold the Fire’s Rage

Publicist:  Eric Alper PR

Review:  Let me be honest – metal is not my favorite music, but after spending last night watching New Years Day, In This Moment and Halestorm, I more fully understand the intense love metal fans have for their music.  Cosmogryal formed four years ago and has been tearing up the Florida metal scene ever since.  This is their debut album, and it seems that the wait will be worth it for their fans.  The musicanship is first rate, and most of the screamo is understandable.  Their energy comes through loud and clear, and we are sure that their live show is incredible.

Recommendation:  We think it is a worthy effort and definitely worth checking out for any metal fans.

Artist Name:  Jordan Siwek

Album Name:  Sun Inside You

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Singer-songwriter Pop

Track Listing:  1.  Island With no Name; 2.  Lover and a Giver; 3.  Sun Inside You; 4.  Reach Me; 5.  Never Give Up; 6.  Can we go Back; 7.  Waiting for  You; 8.  Fun Ride; 9.  Underachiever (Know Your Song); 10.  Ecstasy; 11.  Floating

Publicist:  EMPKT PR

Review:  We featured Jordan Siwek’s first single, “Lover and a Giver,” and knew that we would enjoy the entire album.  We were not disappointed.  He truly belongs on the radio, and his songs would also make great placements for commercials as well as television and film.  We may be witnessing the birth of the next Elton John, as Siwek’s music has that same feeling, especially Elton’s early material.  He adds a jazzy vibe to “Island  with no Name” and the title track, which is definitely Top 40 worthy.  He returns to the simple sound of the piano on “Reach Me” and “Underachiever (Know Your Song.”  Other songs that we love include “Never Give Up,” “Waiting for You,” and “Floating.”

Recommendation:  This one is a no-brainer.  Definitely Get it.

Artist Name:  Provincial Camps

Album Name:  Fuzz Pop

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Indie Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Temple in the Sky; 2.  In Your Heart my House; 3.  Bigger Drags; 4.  Mother; 5.  Jaws; 6.  House of Dust; 7.  Life Companion; 8.  See you Tomorrow; 9.  Caroline No; 10.  Retreat

Publicist:  Eric Alper PR

Review:  The musicianship is solid on this new album from Canadian indie rockers Provincial Camps.  We only wish the vocals were as well done.  They tend to be quite pitchy, but the outstanding musical performance behind the vocals makes them tolerable.  The music is perfect for college and underground radio.  With the energy displayed on the album, we imagine they also put on a pretty good live show.

Recommendation:  If you like your indie rock raw, then you will probably enjoy this one.

Artist Name:  Hulk Wasabi

Album Name:  Learning About Shoegaze with Friends!

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Indie Pop/Rock/lo fi

Track Listing:  1.  Space Dog; 2.  A lil bit zen ‘n a lil bit Stud; 3.  I’m Tim Buckley’s Boy; 4.  Basic Situation at Greyhound Station; 5.  The Youth’s Almost Enough; 6.  You Could at Least Leave the Light On (Because it’s Night, Because it’s Time, Because it’s Night-Time); 7.  Chanara; 8.  Hi Kids, Hi Mom

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  This is an interesting album.  “Space Dog” is an instrumental that has almost a carnival-like sound, or something you might hear in a David Lynch film.  As he was quick to point out, the production is lo fi, and the disparity between the quality of the vocals and the instrumentation drives home that point.  The second track has a ska feel that could make an interesting instrumental.  The third track tries on a surf rock style, while  the fourth one is more britpop.  On track five, you get the feeling that you’re listening to a Bond title track,   One thing is for sure, every song is different stylistically, and there should be something for just about everyone here.

Recommendation:  If vocal quality is important to you, you want to skip this one.  Otherwise, we think it is definitely worth checking out.